Paper Conversation

Go You!

Hi there!

It's Graduation Season.  A pretty amazing time of the year for the graduates and their very proud families.  In my family, we have a few graduations this year and I've been making some cards for these awesome students.  The first one I'd like to share with you is another commission from my sister-in-law for her youngest granddaughter who will be graduating from her private school and entering High School.  A pretty important transition.  As with the cards for the 16 year old twins, I was at a loss for ideas and decided to do some blog surfing for something fun and unique.  I found it at Dawn Olchefske's blog--with a video tutorial!!  Dawn used a stamp set that has since retired, but Stampin' Up! made that stamp set available as a digital download for My Digital Studio.  Hooray!  So here's my card, using the graduate's school colors of Navy Blue (Night of Navy), Red (Real Red) and White (Whisper White).

(click on card to see larger image)

We begin with a card base of Night of Navy, scored and folded as shown in Dawn's video tutorial.  As mentioned previously, I downloaded the stamp set that Dawn used, Go Graduate Plus Stamp Brush Set (121069), into My Digital Studio.  I began with the "CONGRATULATIONS, GRADUATE!", row of graduates shoes, and the tossed mortar board images, decided where the images needed to be on the Whisper White cardstock, and placed them on a digital piece of Whisper White cardstock.  I left the row of graduates shoes and tossed mortar board images in Basic Black outline and changed the "CONGRATULATIONS, GRADUATE!" image to Real Red.  After the images printed, I colored the tossed mortar board with the pen tip of Night of Navy and Real Red Stampin' Write Markers with a dot of UniBall Signo Gel Pen for the cap button.  The heeled sandals at the left end of the graduates row of shoes was colored with the pen tip of Night of Navy and Real Red Stampin' Write Markers.  The cardstock was cut to fit the home plate shaped area of the card base, matted with a piece of Real Red cardstock and adhered to the card base.

(click on card to see larger image)

A hidden inside message is also part of this card and was also printed on Whisper White cardstock.  I placed the "go you" image below the owl image, leaving them in the Basic Black default for the line images.  I colored the mortar board on the owl with the pen tip of Night of Navy and Real Red Stampin' Write Markers and a dot of white UniBall Signo Gel Pen for the cap button.  The Whisper White cardstock was cut to fit the diamond-shaped opening, matted with a piece of Real Red cardstock, and adhered to the card base.

(click on card to see larger image)

The diamond-shaped area at the top of the card was decorated to look like the top of a mortar board.  A Whisper White 5/16" Neutrals Brad was placed at the center of a piece of Real Red cardstock [I made the tassel with DMC Embroidery Floss (color #336); however, you could use a piece of Whisper White 1/4" grosgrain ribbon as Dawn demonstrated in her video tutorial] with the knot of the tassel hanging loop tucked under the hood of the brad.  The Real Red cardstock was matted with a piece of Whisper White cardstock and adhered to the diamond-shaped area on the card front.

(click on card to see larger image)

This fun fold card fits into a Medium Whisper White Envelope.  However, to add to the special occasion I decided to make the envelope using the Simply Scored Scoring Tool with the Diagonal Plate .  A piece of Night of Navy striped paper was pulled from the Regals Designer Series Paper Pack, cut and scored using the instructions included with the Diagonal Plate for this size envelope.  Note that the stripes are vertical in the Designer Series Paper Pack; however, because the envelope is scored on the diagonal plate, the lines on the completed envelope are diagonal. 

(click on envelope to see larger image)

I printed another tossed mortar board image on Whisper White cardstock, leaving the image in the default Basic Black, and colored it with the pen tip of Night of Navy and Real Red Stampin' Write Markers and a dot of white from the UniBall Signo Gel Pen.  I die cut the cardstock using the Big Shot and the Labels Collection Framelits.  Then I die cut a piece of Real Red cardstock using the next larger size of Labels Collection Framelits.  These pieces were adhered at the center of the envelope front.

Here's another card--this time for a young man who will be graduating in a couple of weeks using his school colors of Deep Red (Cherry Cobbler), Gold (Brushed Gold), Black (Basic Black), and White (Whisper White).  When I finished the card I realized that this card was just a little too lighthearted for a High School graduation and went with another design (you'll see that card in the next blog post). 

(click on each photo to see larger images)

It's made the same way as the first card, but it's amazing how the different colors change the "feel" of the card.

I'll be back soon to show you the graduation card I made for the High School senior.

My Digital Studio Digital Download:  Go Graduate Plus Stamp Brush Set; Stampin' Write Markers:  Night of Navy, Real Red, Cherry Cobbler; Cardstock: Night of Navy, Real Red, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Brushed Gold, Basic Black; Designer Series Paper Pack:  Regals (Night of Navy, Cherry Cobbler); Embellishments:  5/16" Neutrals Brads, Gold Brads; Adhesives:  SNAIL; Tools:  Paper Cutter, Bone Folder, Paper Snips, Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Simply Scored Diagonal Plate, White UniBall Signo Gel Pen, Paper Piercing Tool, Mat Pack, Big Shot w/Standard Cutting Plates, Multi-Purpose Platform, Labels Collection Framelits; Non-Stampin' Up!:  DMC Embroidery Floss (#336-Blue, #782-Gold), Galaxy Marker Supernova Gold (Medium Point), HP Photosmart C6280 All-in-One printer

Extreme & Grunge 16 (for Him)

Hi there!

As I mentioned in my previous post, my sister-in-law asked for birthday cards for her twin granddaughter and grandson who are turning 16.  I thought I'd use the same stamp set for both cards; but change the tone of the cards to reflect a masculine or feminine feel.  You've seen the feminine card--now here's the masculine card.  As I did with the feminine card, I did some blog searching to find design inspiration.  This card uses design elements from cards by Angela McKay and Annette Elliott.  I really like how this card turned out!

(click on card to see larger image)

This card begins with a card base of Not Quite Navy, the edges sponged with Not Quite Navy ink.  A panel of River Rock cardstock was adhered to a panel of Cajun Craze cardstock; the edges of both pieces of cardstock sponged with their respective ink colors.  The argyle pattern image from the Grunge Rock stamp set was stamped all over the River Rock cardstock using River Rock ink.  A piece of Well Worn Designer Series Paper was adhered to the top area of the River Rock cardstock leaving 1 3/4" of River Rock cardstock exposed at the bottom.  The group of stars image from the Extreme Elements stamp set was stamped across a piece of Very Vanilla Seam Binding ribbon and adhered across the transition between the Well Worn Designer Series Paper and the River Rock cardstock with the ends folded over and adhered to the back of the Cajun Craze cardstock.  This panel was adhered to the card front using Stampin' Dimensionals.  A piece of Early Espresso cardstock was embossed with the Houndstooth Textured Impressions embossing folder in the Big Shot, the 1 1/4" square punch was used to create the banner tails, and the cardstock adhered to the center of the panel with the right edge flush with the right edge of the Well Worn Designer Series Paper and the end of the banner tails approximately 1/4" from the left edge of the Designer Series Paper.

The focal point begins with a piece ofFirst Edition Designer Series Paper die cut with the 3" circle Originals die and the Big Shot.  Stamp images from the Extreme Elements and Grunge Rock stamp sets were randomly stamped on the circle using Early Espresso, Cajun Craze, and Not Quite Navy inks.  The edges of the die cut cirle were sponged with Cajun Craze ink.  The die cut circle was adhered to the center of a piece of Cajun Craze cardstock die cut with the larger of the two scallop circles on the Scallop Circle #2 Bigz die and the Big Shot.  The scallop circle was placed on the Paper Cutter and 1/2" cut away.  Then the edges of the scallop circle (and its straight edge, too) were sponged with Cajun Craze ink and adhered to the card front using Stampin' Dimensionals with the scallop circle centered over the Early Espresso banner and the straight edge lined up with the right edge of the River Rock cardstock.  The "Happy Birthday" image from the Grunge Rock stamp set was stamped below the scallop circle, centered across the River Rock panel, using Early Espresso ink.

The argyle image from the Grunge Rock stamp set was stamped on a scrap of Very Vanilla cardstock using River Rock ink.  The "NO. 1" image from the Grunge rock stamp set was stamped on a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock stamped using Cajun Craze ink.  The "NO." part of the "NO. 1" image was punched out with the 3/4" circle punch, the edges of the punched cardstock sponged with Not Quite Navy ink, and adhered near the left bottom area of the scallop circle using Stampin' Dimensionals.  The "1" and "6" numbers were die cut from Cajun Craze cardstock using the Big Shot and the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Medium Sizzlits dies and adhered to the right of the "NO."  The guitar image, from the Grunge Rock stamp set, was stamped with Not Quite Navy ink on Very Vanilla cardstock, cut out with Paper Snips, and adhered at the top of the "16" using Stampin' Dimensionals.

(click on card to see larger image)

The inside sentiment area of the card was lined with a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock matted with a piece of Cajun Craze cardstock, the edges sponged with Cajun Craze ink.  The Very Vanilla cardstock was randomly stamped with images from the Grunge Rock and Extreme Elements stamp sets using River Rock, Cajun Craze, and Not Quite Navy inks along the bottom edge and extending up the left edge of the liner.  A piece of Well Worn Designer Series Paper with the top edge punched with the Scallop Edge Border punch and the scallop edge sponged with Not Quite Navy ink was adhered to the bottom edge of the liner.  The stamp images were randomly stamped across a slightly smaller piece of First Edition Designer Series Paper with the top edge punched with the Scallop Edge Border punch using Cajun Craze and Not Quite Navy inks and the scallop edge sponged with Cajun Craze ink was adhered to the bottom edge of the liner on top of the Well Worn Designer Series Paper.  The edges of the Very Vanilla cardstock were sponged with Cajun Craze ink.  A piece of Very Vanilla cardstock was randomly stamped with images from the Grunge Rock and Extreme Elements stamp sets using Cajun Craze, Not Quite Navy, and River Rock inks.  The "REAL" image was stamped on top of these images using Early Espresso ink, punched out with the 1 3/8" circle punch.  The circle was matted with a 1 1/2" circle of Early Espresso cardstock and adhered near the lower right corner of the liner using Stampin' Dimensionals.

(click on envelope to see larger image)

The left edge of the Medium Very Vanilla Envelope was randomly stamped with images from the Grunge Rock and Extreme Elements stamp sets using Cajun Craze, Not Quite Navy, and River Rock inks.  The "NO." part of the "NO. 1" image was inked with the brush tip of the Early Espresso Stampin' Write Marker and stamped near the lower left front corner of the envelope.  The numbers "1" and "6" were inked with the brush tip of the Early Espresso Marker and stamped to the right of the "NO.".  I found these numbers in a stamp set that retired many years ago.

Like the birthday card for this young man's sister, this card has a bit of work in it, but I think the results were well worth the time invested.

The Extreme Elements and Grunge Rock stamp sets, the Well Worn Designer Series Paper, and the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Medium Sizzlits dies are all retiring in just a few days.  If you find that these items should be an essential part of your paper crafting stash, now's the time to order them!

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend.  I hope that in the midst of your picnics and outings with family and friends on this first weekend of Summer that you'll take some time to remember those that have made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the lifestyle and freedoms that we seem to take for granted in the United States.  I'd also like to recognize those that dedicated their careers to Military service and the families that supported them.  Finally, I'd like to thank the men and women who will spend this weekend "standing the post."  Military life is a choice that can be difficult for the service members and their families, but you won't find one that will tell you that they are anything but PROUD to make the sacrifice every single day.

Stamps:  Extreme Elements, Grunge Rock; Inks:  Cajun Craze, Early Espresso, Not Quite Navy, River Rock; Stampin' Write Markers:  Early Espresso; Cardstock:  Cajun Craze, Early Espresso, Not Quite Navy, River Rock, Very Vanilla; Designer Series Paper:  First Edition, Well Worn; Embellishments:  Very Vanilla Seam Binding ribbon; Adhesives:  SNAIL, Stampin' Dimensionals; Tools:  Paper Cutter/Scorer, Paper Snips, Bone Folder, Sponge, 3/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, Scallop Edge Border punch, Big Shot w/Standard Cutting Plates, Multi-Purpose Platform, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Medium Sizzlits, Scallop Circles #2 Bigz die, 3" circle Originals die, Houndstooth Textured Impressions embossing folder; Other:  Medium Very Vanilla Envelope; Non-Stampin' Up!:  1 1/2" circle punch

Extreme & Grunge 16 (for Her)

Hello!

One of the commissions from my sister-in-law included making birthday cards for her twin granddaughter and grandson who will be turning 16.  These are always difficult for me to make, so I decided to do some blog surfing for ideas.  I really liked the look of these cards by Dawn Olchefske and Tiffany Bauer.  These cards use the Extreme Elements and Grunge Rock stamp sets that will be retiring in a few days.  Using design elements from both these cards, here's the card I designed for a lovely young lady who will be turning 16.

(click on card to see larger image)

I like the bright, fun 2011-2013 In Colors of Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo, and Calypso Coral "grunged" down with the images in these two stamp sets.  We begin this card with a panel of Whisper White cardstock.  The images from the two stamp sets were randomly stamped on this panel using the In Color inks.  The "NO. 1" image from the Grunge Rock stamp set was inked with the brush tip of the Island Indigo Stampin' Write Marker for just the "NO." and stamped near the upper right area of the panel.  The numbers "1" and "6" were die cut from Island Indigo cardstock using the Big Shot and the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Medium Sizzlits die and adhered to the left of the "NO."  Strips of Island Indigo, Calypso Coral, and Lucky Limeade cardstock were punched with the Dotted Ribbon Scallop Border punch and threaded with the corresponding color Baker's Twine.  The strips were adhered horizontally along the bottom half of the Whisper White panel with Mini Glue Dots.  The Island Indigo Stampin' Write Marker was inserted into the Color Spritzer Tool and the ink spritzed over the panel.  The panel was adhered to the Pool Party card front using Stampin' Dimensionals.

The guitar focal point begins with a panel of Whisper White cardstock randomly stamped with images from the Grunge Rock and Extreme Elements stamp sets using Wisteria Wonder and Pool Party inks.  The "U ROCK" part of the "U ROCK {my world}" stamp image from the Perfect Words Hostess stamp set was inked with the brush tip of the Lucky Limeade and Island Indigo Stampin' Write Markers and stamped at the top of the panel.  The guitar image from the Grunge Rock stamp set was stamped on the panel using Calypso Coral ink.  The Island Indigo Stampin' Write Marker was inserted into the Color Spritzer Tool and spritzed over the panel.  The panel was matted with Wisteria Wonder cardstock and adhered along the left edge of the card front using Stampin' Dimensionals.  The guitar was stamped again on a second piece of Whisper White cardstock and the sound box of the guitar punched from the cardstock using the 1 1/4" circle punch.  A 1 3/8" circle was punched from Lucky Limeade cardstock to mat the 1 1/4" circle and adhered over the guitar on the panel using Stampin' Dimensionals. 

(click on card to see larger image)

The inside sentiment area  was lined with a panel of Whisper White cardstock randomly stamped with images from the Extreme Elements and Grunge Rock stamp sets using Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, and Wisteria Wonder inks.  The "Happy Birthday" image from the Grunge Rock stamp set was stamped near the upper center of the panel using Island Indigo ink.  A strip of Wisteria Wonder cardstock was punched with the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, threaded with Wisteria Wonder Baker's Twine, and adhered near the bottom of the panel using Mini Glue Dots.  The Island Indigo Stampin' Write Marker was inserted into the Color Spritzer Tool and the ink spritzed over the panel.

Images from the Extreme Elements and Grunge Rock stamp set were randomly stamped on a scrap piece of Whisper White cardstock using Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade, and Pool Party inks.  The crown image from Grunge Rock was stamped over these images using Calypso Coral ink and punched out with the 1 1/4" circle punch and matted with a 1 3/8" circle punched from Island Indigo cardstock.  The circle was adhered to the left of the "Happy Birthday" stamped image using SNAIL.  The "REAL" medallion from the Grunge Rock stamp set was stamped over the randomly stamped images using Island Indigo ink and punched out with the 1 3/8" circle punched and matted with a 1 1/2" circle punched from Calypso Coral cardstock.  The "REAL" medallion was adhered below the crown with Stampin' Dimensionals.

(click on envelope to see larger image)

Images from the Grunge Rock and Extreme Elements stamp sets were stamped near the lower left front corner of the Medium Whisper White Envelope using Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, and Wisteria Wonder inks.  The "NO." part of the "NO. 1" image was inked with the brush tip of the Island Indigo Stampin' Write Marker and stamped over the randomly stamped images.  The numbers "1" and "6" were inked with the brush tip of the Island Indigo Marker and stamped to the right of the "NO.".  I found these numbers in a stamp set that retired many years ago.  The Island Indigo Stampin' Write Marker was inserted into the Color Spritzer Tool one more time for some spritzing over the stamped images at the lower left front corner of the Medium Whisper White Envelope.

I'll admit that there's a bit of work in this card, but I was having so much fun making it, I just couldn't stop!  I'll be back soon to show you how I used the same two stamp sets to make a birthday card for this young lady's brother.

Stamps:  Extreme Elements, Grunge Rock, Perfect Words Hostess; Inks:  Calypso Coral, Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade, Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder; Stampin' Write Markers:  2011-2013 In Colors; Cardstock:  Calypso Coral, Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade, Pool Party, Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder; Embellishments:  Calypso Coral, Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade, and Wisteria Wonder Baker's Twine; Adhesives:  SNAIL, Mini Glue Dots, Stampin' Dimensionals; Tools:  Paper Cutter/Scorer, Paper Snips, Bone Folder, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, Big Shot w/Standard Cutting Plates, Multi-Purpose Platform, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Medium Sizzlits; Other:  Medium Whisper White Envelope; Non-Stampin' Up!:  1 1/2" circle punch

Hot Pink Zebra

Edited to include a forgotten blog post link.  Oops!

Hi there!

It's a busy time of the year.  Lots going on with the end of the school year, graduations, and preparing for the Summer fun season.  What's not to like?  Recently I was commissioned to make a few cards for my sister-in-law for some important events in the lives of her teen grandchildren.  Here's the first one:  a birthday card for her youngest granddaughter who will be turning 14 in July.

(click on card to see larger image)

When you think of young teen girls these days, you immediately think of bright colors and lots of bling.  When I asked my sister-in-law what colors her granddaughter preferred, she mentioned that her bedroom had hot pink and zebra print in it.  I quickly realized that this card was going to need some special attention--My Digital Studio to the rescue!  What is My Digital Studio, you may ask?  It's not something that I've blogged about before, but it's Stampin' Up!'s digital paper crafting software.  I've been using it since it was released and I just love it!  So where are the projects you've completed, Mickey?  Well, I've been focusing on the techniques up to this point and don't really have any completed projects to show you until now.

Unfortunately, Stampin' Up! hasn't released a digital download with animal prints, so I put the search term "Digital Animal Prints" in my internet browser and found a digital download with not only a Zebra print, but a HOT PINK Zebra print!!  Woohoo!  So I purchased the download and added it to my My Digital Studio/Components/Backgrounds/Designer Series Paper folder.  Isn't it cool that you can use other companys' digital products in My Digital Studio??!!  I added two photo blocks to a blank 8 1/2" x 11" page and sized one to 3 3/4" x 5" and a second photo block to 3" x 4".  Then I selected the hot pink Zebra print as a photo, added it to each photo block, and printed the page from my color printer on glossy photo paper. 

The 3 3/4" x 5" photo block was cut from the glossy photo paper, double matted with Basic Black and Whisper White cardstocks, and adhered to the Basic Black card front.  Pieces of Basic Black and Whisper White cardstock were die cut on the double scallop of the Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die.  I used the Whisper White die cut as drop shadow for the Basic Black die cut and put the two strips vertically side-by-side on the left side of the hot pink Zebra print.  Then I added the two long strips of Basic Rhinestones end-to-end down the center of each of the Basic Black double scallops.

The sentiment comes from the Word Play stamp set.  The stamp was inked with the brush tips of Basic Black and Melon Mambo Stampin' Write Markers and stamped on a piece of Whisper White cardstock (remember to "huff" on the stamp to remoisten the ink before stamping).  The stamped cardstock was punched out with the Decorative Label punch and then double matted with Basic Black and Whisper White cardstock.  You can find information about how to use the Decorative Label punch to make the mats by going to this blog post.  The sentiment was adhered to the card front with Stampin' Dimensionals.  A large Basic Rhinestone was placed over the dot on the "i" in "wish".

(click on card to see larger image)

The inside sentiment area of the card was lined with a piece of Whisper White cardstock.  The 3" x 4" photo block of hot pink Zebra print was cut from the glossy photo paper and then cut into two 1 1/2" x 4" pieces.  [You could also add the print to the double scallop image from the Tasteful Trim digital download from Stampin' Up!; however, I haven't purchased that download--yet.]  These pieces were die cut on the double scallop of the Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die and adhered near the top and bottom edges of the liner.  The number image from the Bring on the Cake stamp set was stamped at the upper center of the liner using Melon Mambo ink.  The numbers "1" and "4" were colored in with the writing tip of the Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker.  The "th" was circled using the writing tip, also.  (You don't see the actual coloring because the card I photographed is the sample I made for myself.)

(click on envelope to see larger image)

The sentiment from Word Play was inked up one more time with the Basic Black and Melon Mambo Stampin' Write Markers and stamped at the lower left front corner of the Medium Whisper White Envelope.  Since this card wasn't going to be mailed, I added a large Basic Rhinestone to dot the "i" on "wish" here, too!

The cards I made reached California over the weekend and I spoke with my sister-in-law yesterday.  She was so tickled with how all the cards for her grandchildren turned out.  I hope they enjoy them, too!  I'll be sharing more of the cards I made for the teens in the next couple of weeks.

I'll be back soon with a project from this weekend's SASS Stamp Club featuring some products that will be retiring on May 31st.

Stamps:  Bring on the Cake, Word Play; Inks:  Melon Mambo; Stampin' Write Markers:  Basic Black, Melon Mambo; Cardstock:  Basic Black, Whisper White; Embellishments:  Basic Rhinestones; Adhesives:  SNAIL, Stampin' Dimensionals; Tools:  Paper Cutter/Scorer, Paper Snips, Bone Folder, Decorative Label punch, Big Shot w/XL Cutting Pads, Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die, My Digital Studio; Other:  Medium Whisper White Envelope; Non-Stampin' Up!:  Animal Prints Digital Download, Glossy Photo Paper, Computer & Printer

2012 Mom's Lunch

Hi there!

Welcome to a new week.  Whether you're a Mom, a Godmother, a doting Aunt, or have some other important role in nurturing children, I hope that you had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend.  On Saturday, my sister, sister-in-law, neice, and my Mother all gathered at a local restaurant for our annual Mom's Lunch.  It's so nice to get together in this way every year.  I'd like to share with you the gifts I made for each of them.  Here's the gift bag.

(click on bag to see larger image)

I found these cute brown paper lunch bags at a Big Box department store and loved how the ribbon handles would match the gifts that would be placed inside the bag.  The medallion for the bag was created with stamped images from the Delicate Doilies stamp set using Elegant Eggplant, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink and Wisteria Wonder inks on Whisper White cardstock.  The cardstock was die cut using the Labels Collection Framelits along with a piece of Wisteria Wonder cardstock die cut with the next larger size of framelit.  The two die cuts were adhered together with SNAIL and then to the front of the gift bag with Stampin' Dimensionals.  The monogram initial, from the Broadsheet Alphabet stamp set, was stamped on a piece of Whisper White cardstock stamped with a doily image using Pretty in Pink ink.  The monogram was stamped with Elegant Eggplant ink.  The Whisper White cardstock was punched with the large oval punch and placed at the center of a piece of Melon Mambo cardstock embossed in the Big Shot with the oval Designer Frames Textured Impressions embossing folder and die cut with the corresponding size of Labels Collection Framelit.  The monogram was adhered at the center of the larger die cut frames using Stampin' Dimensionals.

(click on purse to see larger image)

One of the items that went inside the gift bag was this cute little purse.  It was die cut from Melon Mambo cardstock using the Big Shot and the Petite Purse Bigz L die (available on June 1st in the 2012-2013 Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog).  A piece of Flirtatious Specialty Designer Series Paper was also die cut to cover the purse flap and back of the purse.  A Filigree Brad was added to the front of the purse flap to add a bit of shine.  The die cut purse handle was adhered to the center of a piece of Pretty in Pink cardstock punched with the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch.  Inside each purse was a pretty charm.

Also inside the gift bag was a set five of monogrammed note cards.  All of the cards were made using the process I described in this post except that this time I used the Delicate Doilies stamp set.  Here are the card fronts for the first two cards.

(click on each card to see larger images)

The doilies on the card base for the card on the left were stamped with Whisper White craft ink.  The doilies on the Whisper White cardstock with the monogram were stamped with Pretty in Pink ink.  A piece of Whisper White 3/8" Taffeta ribbon was wrapped around the center panel and knotted on the front.  The doilies on the card base for the card on the right were stamped with Pretty in Pink ink.  The doilies on the Whisper White cardstock with the monogram were stamped with Pretty in Pink ink.  A piece of Whisper White 1/4" grosgrain ribbon (soon-to-be Retired) was wrapped around the center panel and knotted on the front.  Now we'll look at two more cards.

(click on each card to see larger images)

The doilies on the card base for the card on the left were stamped with Melon Mambo ink.  The doilies on the Whisper White cardstock with the monogram were stamped with Pretty in Pink ink.  A piece of Pretty in Pink 3/8" Taffeta ribbon (Retired) was wrapped around the center panel and knotted on the front.  The doilies on the card base for the card on the right were stamped with Elegant Eggplant ink.  The doilies on the Whisper White cardstock with the monogram were stamped with Wisteria Wonder ink.  A piece of Elegant Eggplant 1/4" grosgrain ribbon (Retired) was wrapped around the center panel and knotted on the front.  And here's the final card.

(click on each card to see larger images)

The doilies on the card base for the card front were stamped with Wisteria Wonder ink.  The doilies on the Whisper White cardstock with the monogram were also stamped with Wisteria Wonder ink.  A piece of Whisper White 1/4" grosgrain ribbon (soon-to-be Retired) was wrapped around the center panel and knotted on the front.  The center panel for all the cards features a piece of Flirtatious Specialty Designer Series Paper matted with the two colors used for each card.  The same process was used for the cardstock mats for each monogram.  The inside sentiment area of all the cards was lined with a piece of Whisper White cardstock.  Doily images were stamped using the two colors for each card and a piece of Flirtatious Specialty Designer Series Paper (the same piece as used for the card front) was punched with the Scallop Trim Border punch and adhered to the liner.

(click on envelope to see larger image)

The bottom left front corner of each Medium Whisper White Envelope was stamped with doily images using the ink colors used for the note card.  The monogram was stamped with the darker of the two colors.  On some envelopes the monogram was stamped near the lower left front corner of the envelope and on others the monogram was stamped at the center of the envelope flap.

The best gift I received at the Mom's Lunch was the opportunity to share an afternoon with these very special people in my life.

Stamps:  Broadsheet Alphabet, Delicate Doilies; Inks:  Elegant Eggplant, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Wisteria Wonder, Whisper White Craft; Cardstock:  Elegant Eggplant, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder; Designer Series Paper:  Flirtatious Specialty; Embellishments:  Filigree Brads, Elegant Eggplant 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Pretty in Pink 3/8" Taffeta ribbon, Whisper White 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Whisper White 3/8" Taffeta ribbon; Adhesives:  SNAIL, Stampin' Dimensionals; Tools:  Paper Cutter/Scorer, Paper Snips, Bone Folder, Large Oval punch, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, Scallop Trim Border punch, Big Shot w/Standard Cutting Plates, Multi-Purpose Platform, Labels Collection Framelits, Designer Frames Textured Impressions embossing folder, Petite Purse Bigz L die, Standard Premium Crease Pad; Other:  Medium Whisper White Envelope; Non-Stampin' Up!:  Gift Bag w/ribbon handles

A Floral Monogram

Hello!

It's a busy time in the Stampin' Up! warehouse.  Folks are perusing the long lists of Retiring stamp sets, accessories, Definitely Decorative, and Simply Adorned items; noting the great sale prices on many of these items; and placing their orders before these items are gone for good.  If you haven't looked at the lists, now's the time!  You can view the Retiring lists by clicking on the icons located on the left sidebar of this blog page.  Don't miss out!

Today's post features a simple card idea that makes a wonderful Mother's Day gift.

(click on card to see larger image)

Monogram cards are such a nice personal touch when making note cards for a gift.  The lucky recipient can use them for nearly any occasion.  I made these cards (with the appropriate monogram) as my Thank You card for all the folks who placed orders with me in April.  [For those of you who may not know, I make "recyclable" cards for my Thank You cards.  Instead of writing the Thank You note inside the card, I write the note on a Post-It so that it can be removed and the card re-purposed by the recipient.  I have a custom stamp that I place on the Post-It:  "Recyclable Card!  Remove sticky note to use card.  Enjoy!"]

This card begins with a card base of Lucky Limeade randomly stamped with a couple of the floral images from the Fruit & Flowers stamp set using Versamark ink.  Panels of Calypso Coral and Early Espresso mat a strip of Berry Blossoms Designer Series Paper.  A piece of Calypso Coral 3/8" Ruffled ribbon was wrapped around the panel and knotted on front.  The panel was adhered to the center of the card front with SNAIL.

The focal point is comprised of two stamp images.  The first is the triple flower image from the Fruit & Flowers stamp set inked with the brush tips of Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, and Wisteria Wonder Stampin' Write Markers and stamped at the lower left corner of the Whisper White cardstock.  [Remember to "huff" on the stamp to remoisten the ink on the rubber before stamping.]  The second image comes from the Broadsheet Alphabet stamp set and is stamped above the flower image and to the upper left corner of the Whisper White cardstock.  This image is stamped with Early Espresso ink.  The Whisper White cardstock was matted with Early Espresso and Calypso Coral cardtocks and adhered to the center panel with Stampin' Dimensionals.

(click on card to see larger image)

A second strip of the Berry Blossoms Designer Series Paper was punched with the Scallop Edge Border punch and adhered along the top edge of a piece of Whisper White cardstock.  At the bottom left corner of the cardstock, the three flower image was stamped a second time using the Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, and Wisteria Wonder Stampin' Write Markers to ink the stamp.  The cardstock was matted with Calypso Coral and Early Espresso cardstocks and adhered at the inside sentiment area of the card.

(click on envelope to see larger image)

The three flower stamp image was inked one more time with the markers and stamped at the lower left front corner of the Medium Whisper White Envelope.  The monogram was stamped slightly up and to the right of the floral image using Early Espresso ink.

Making a stack of these cards is quick and easy and is a great way to use up all those paper scraps.  A good thing to do when you're making room for all the great new products we'll be seeing in the 2012-2013 Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog that debuts on June 1st. 

Be sure to look over those retiring lists.  You'll be amazed at the number of items that are being discontinued.  There are a few reasons for this:

• The 2010-2012 In Colors will be retiring:  Blushing Bride, Concord Crush, Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait, and Poppy Parade.  This means that any item containing these colors will no longer be available (ribbons, Designer Series Papers, inks, ink pads, Markers, brads, etc.).
• Packaging for 12" x 12" smooth cardstock will be changing and only a few of the colors will be available individually.  Most will be available for purchase only in color family packages.
• 12" x 12" Textured cardstocks will be discontinued.
• The current ink pad design will be changing to a firm foam pad.  This will not change the design of the ink pad or the basic ink color, but the delivery method of the ink; resulting in a crisper stamped image.
• The Simply Adorned jewelry line will be discontinued.
• The Definitely Decorative vinyl and stencil line will be discontinued.

If you have any questions, be sure to contact me for assistance.  You can place your order on-line by clicking on the Order Stampin' Up! Online button located near the top left corner of this blog page.  Using this link will ensure that you receive the lowest prices and shipping costs via my Stampin' Up! storefront (just click on the Shop Now button located near the lower right corner of the web page).  You can also place your order by contacting me directly by phone or e-mail.  Don't miss out on ordering your favorites before they're gone forever!

Stamps:  Broadsheet Alphabet, Fruit & Flowers; Inks:  Early Espresso, Versamark; Stampin' Write Markers:  Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, Wisteria Wonder; Cardstock:  Calypso Coral, Early Espresso, Lucky Limeade, Whisper White; Designer Series Paper:  Berry Blossoms; Embellishments:  Calypso Coral 3/8" Ruffled ribbon; Adhesives:  SNAIL, Stampin' Dimensionals; Tools:  Paper Cutter/Scorer, Paper Snips, Bone Folder, Scallop Edge Border punch; Other:  Medium Whisper White Envelope

A Petite Purse of Smooches (Smooches for Mom Part 5)

Hello!

This blog post features an option for small item gift packaging as part of the Smooches for Mom gifts featured in this post.

Gift packaging for small items can be tricky; especially when the small items are the most expensive to purchase.  You can only go so far with a small box.  But what if you could find something a little more eye catching?  Well I have just the thing!

(click on purse to see larger image)

I think this purse is just adorable!  To put this little purse into perspective, the rectangular base at the bottom of the purse measures 1 3/8" x 2 3/4", the height of the side panel is 1 7/8", and the span between the two purse straps is 2".  So you can see that this purse is just perfect for a small pair of earrings, a ring, a flexible bracelet, or a chain that doesn't tend to tangle.  Of course, if you're looking for a distinctive favor for a Mother's Day Tea, Bridal Shower, or Sweet 16 party, this cutie is just perfect.

What makes this Petite Purse so great is that it's a die cut!  It's being introduced by Stampin' Up! as part of the 2012-2013 Idea Book & Catalog Sneak Peek Summer Smooches promotion which ENDS in just a couple of days on April 30th.  After Monday, you'll have to wait until June 1st to order this die cut and the fun paper that decorates it. 

The purse was die cut from Island Indigo cardstock.  A piece of the Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper was die cut, too; but the paper was placed only over the the back and top flap area of the die cut.  Other areas of the Designer Series Paper die cut were clipped away (including the closure tab at the tip of the purse flap) with Paper Snips then the Designer Series Paper was adhered to the corresponding area of the Island Indigo die cut using Tombow Multi Adhesive.  While the adhesive was still damp, the cover flap of the purse was gently manipulated with the fingertips to create a gentle curve to allow the closure tab to be inserted at the front of the purse.  (You may want to gently insert the tip of the Paper Snips into the closure slot to widen it just a bit to make it easier for the tab to be inserted into the slot.)

(click on purse to see larger image)

Tombow Multi Adhesive was also placed along the side tabs (one side at a time), the tabs pressed to the the inside front panel of the purse, and held in place with the fingertips until the adhesive took hold (Mini Clothespins work great for this, too).  Small spots of Tombow Multi Adhesive were placed at each end of the Daffodil Delight 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon.  One end of the ribbon was pressed in place at the center of one side panel; the opposite end of the ribbon at the center of the opposing panel.

That's all there is to it!  Of course, you can gussy up these purses in a whole bunch of ways.  There are lots of posts out there in the blog-o-sphere with some truly imaginative ideas for embellishing these purses.  Just remember that to purchase this die cut or the lovely Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper before its "official" release date of June 1st, you'll need to place your order no later than Monday, April 30th.  My on-line store is always open--just click on the Order Stampin' Up! Online button near the upper left sidebar of this blog page.

Enjoy the weekend!

Cardstock:  Island Indigo; Designer Series Paper:  Summer Smooches; Embellishments:  Daffodil Delight 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon; Adhesives:  Tombow Multi Adhesive; Tools:  Paper Snips, Bone Folder, Big Shot w/Standard Cutting Plates, Standard Premium Crease Pad (with both Mylar Shims placed under the die cut), Petite Purse Bigz L die

Gift Boxed Greetings (Smooches for Mom Part 4)

Hello!

This blog post features a gift box to hold the Smooches for Mom greeting cards featured in this post.

When you're making a stack of greeting cards for a gift, it's always nice to have pretty packaging.  A little over a month ago, I was shown how to create this greeting card gift box at a downline meeting and just loved how simple it was to make.  The three greeting cards and envelopes I've shared this week fit very easily inside this box (with room for a couple more!).

(click on box to see larger image)

We begin with an 11" x 11" piece of Island Indigo Textured Cardstock.  The cardstock is placed textured side up on the Simply Scored Diagonal Plate with the cardstock snugged up against the top and left edges of the Simply Scored Scoring Tool.  Score the cardstock diagonally at 3 1/2" and 5 1/2", then turn the cardstock 180 degrees and score the cardstock diagonally again at 3 1/2" and 5 1/2".  (I'm showing you the box made with Whisper White cardstock so that you can see the score lines more easily.)

(click on photo to see larger image)

Turn the cardstock 90 degrees and score the cardstock at 4 1/2" and 6 1/2", then turn the cardstock 180 degrees and score the cardstock again at 4 1/2" and 6 1/2".

(click on photo to see larger image)

Using Paper Snips (or a square punch), clip away the small triangles at the outside edges of the cardstock.

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Using Paper Snips, clip the areas indicated with a double red line as indicated on the photo below.

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Fold the cardstock at all the score lines to create the basic box shape.  Apply Tombow Multi Adhesive sparingly along the squiggly lines indicated in the photo below.  Bring the bottom flap up to the side flaps and press the two pieces of cardstock together with your fingertips ensuring that the corners are square.  It's a whole lot easier to manipulate adhering the box if you adhere one side at a time. 

(click on photo to see larger image)

Use Mini Clothespins to hold the bottom flap in place until the adhesive sets.

(click on photo to see larger image)

Fold the top flap down and make a small dot where the point of the top flap meets the bottom flap.  Use the Paper Piercing Tool to made a hole through the small dot.

(click on photo to see larger image)

To make the flower for the front of the box, stamp the daisy looking flower from the Mixed Bunch stamp set on Whisper White cardstock using Real Red ink.  Insert the cardstock into the Blossom punch ensuring that the stamped image is centered in the punch window.  Punch out the flower and use a bone folder to gently roll the petals of the flower up.  Punch a second flower from a piece of Old Olive cardstock.  Use a bone folder to gently roll the petals of the Old Olive flower down.  Using Island Indigo ink, stamp the dotted flower center on a piece of Whisper White cardstock and punch out the flower center using the 1" circle punch.  Stack all the flower pieces together on the foam pad and self-healing mat (Mat Pack) and use the Paper Piercing Tool to pierce a hole through the center of all three pieces.  Insert a Clear Rhinestone brad through the center of the flower pieces and then through the hole pierced through the front of the box.  Open the brad legs inside the box.

(click on photo to see larger image)

Place the greeting cards inside the box and slide the tip of the top box flap behind the flower to close the box.  The Simply Scored Diagonal Plate for the Simply Scored Scoring Tool makes creating this box so easy!

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit.  I'll be back tomorrow with another fun gift packaging idea; this time for small pieces of jewelry.

Stamps:  Mixed Bunch; Inks:  Island Indigo, Real Red; Cardstock:  Island Indigo Textured, Old Olive, Whisper White; Embellishments:  Clear Rhinestone Brads; Adhesives:  Tombow Multi Adhesive; Tools:  Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Simply Scored Diagonal Plate, Bone Folder, Blossom punch, 1" circle punch, Paper Piercing Tool, Mat Pack

Bright Blossoms in a Fun Fold (Smooches for Mom Part 3)

Hi Everyone!

This blog post features the third of three cards inside the Smooches for Mom card box featured in this post.

Holy Cow! the weather is GORGEOUS here in East Central Florida!  A cold front came through over the weekend and the weather the last two days has been spectacular!  Bright blue skies, gentle breezes, temps in the low 70s.  The windows are open to suck in all the wonderful cool air.  Awesome! 

My newly planted flowers are just loving this weather and their bright colors make me grin every time I see them.  I was thinking of these flowers when I saw this card by Debbie McNeill in a tutorial she developed to teach a fun fold using the Big Shot, Labels Collection Framelits, and the Bright Blossoms stamp set.  Here's what I came up with.

(click on card to see larger image)

Because Debbie wrote a wonderful tutorial for creating the fun fold, I'll focus on the stamping and ask you to link here to find the tutorial.  I initially found the tutorial in a newsletter that I received from my Stampin' Up! upline, Catherine Harwood, as she uses Debbie's newsletter service.  You can sign up for the newsletter at Catherine's blog site by clicking on the newsletter link at the left sidebar of her blog page.  [And if you're a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, you may want to talk to Debbie about using her newsletter service.]

The Bright Blossoms stamp set is one of the new stamp sets that will debut in the 2012-2013 Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog beginning on June 1st.  However, Stampin' Up! is offering this stamp set and a few other related items in the Summer Smooches Product Suite as a Sneak Peak ONLY for the month of April.  You saw a piece of the Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper in my last post, so in this post I'm focusing on the stamp set (with another piece of the Designer Series Paper).  Isn't it adorable?  And the images you see here are only a few of the adorable stamps in this set. 

This card begins with a Tangerine Tango card base.  The card was folded and die cut using Debbie's great tutorial.  The top right and lower right corners of the inside sentiment area of the card were punched with the 3/16" corner rounder punch.  Then the edges of the card front (including the die cut area) and the inside sentiment area of the card were sponged with Tangerine Tango ink.  A piece of Tangerine Tango polka-dotted paper (from the Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper) was die cut using the Labels Collection Framelits, the edges of the paper sponged with Tangerine Tango ink, and the paper adhered to the die cut on the card front.

(click on photo to see larger image)

All the stamping on this card was accomplished with Stampin' Write Markers.  The Tempting Turqouise marker was used to ink the polka dot vase  and stamped on a piece of Whisper White cardstock.  The branch with small flower dots image was inked with Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, and Island Indigo markers and stamped at the top of the vase.  [Note:  when you're working with multiple colors on a single stamp image to "huff" on the inked image before stamping to ensure that all the ink is moist.]  The cardstock was die cut with the next smaller size Labels Collection Framelit in the Big Shot, the edges sponged with Tangerine Tango ink, and adhered, centered, to the Designer Series Paper.  The polka dot vase was inked again with the Tempting Turquoise marker and stamped on a scrap of Whisper White cardstock, cut out with Paper Snips, and adhered over the first polka dot vase using Stampin' Dimensionals.  Linen Thread was inserted into the button holes of a Daffodil Delight flower button and Rich Razzleberry  button and knotted on the front of each button.  The buttons were adhered to the Whisper White die cut using Mini Glue Dots.  The card front was finished with a piece of Tempting Turquoise 1/4" grosgrain ribbon wrapped around the die cut fold and knotted on the front.

(click on card to see larger image)

The inside sentiment area of the card was lined with a piece of Whisper White cardstock.  The top right and bottom right corners of the liner were punched with the 3/16" corner rounder punch and the edges of the liner sponged with Tangerine Tango ink.  The branch with small round flowers was inked with the Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, and Island Indigo markers and stamped at the top right and bottom right corners.  The dotted flower was inked with the Rich Razzleberry marker and stamped at the top of the longest branch. 

(click on envelope to see larger image)

The polka dot vase was inked with the Tempting Turquoise marker and stamped near the lower left front corner of the Medium Whisper White Envelope.  The stamp image was stamped again on a Post-It Note (ensuring that most of the vase image is stamped over the area where the repositionable adhesive is located on the reverse side of the Post-It Note) and cut out with Paper Snips.  The Post-It Note vase was placed over the vase stamped on the envelope.  The branch image was inked with Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, and Island Indigo markers and stamped at the top of the vase, then the Post-It Note was removed.  [Using the Post-It Note ensures that the bottom of the branch image doesn't stray onto the vase image.]  The dotted flower was inked with tje Rich Razzleberry marker and stamped at the top of the longest branch. 

There are only a few more days to take advantage of the Summer Smooches Sneak Peek.  To see all the products available during the Sneak Peek, be sure to visit my on-line store by clicking on the Order On-line button located near the top left corner of this blog page.  While you're there, be sure to check out all the items on the Retiring Stamp Set list, Retiring Accessories list, and the Definitely Decorative list.  You won't believe all the great items that will be going away.  Holy Cow!  Just remember that the Accessories and Definitely Decorative items are only available while supplies last.  So if you find one or more of your favorites on the lists, be sure to order right away so that you don't miss out.

Stamps:  Bright Blossoms; Stampin' Write Markers:  Daffodil Delight, Island Indigo, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Tempting Turquoise; Cardstock:  Tangerine Tango, Whisper White; Designer Series Paper:  Summer Smooches; Embellishments:  Linen Thread, Brights Designer Buttons, Tempting Turquoise 1/4" grosgrain ribbon; Adhesives:  SNAIL, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots; Tools:  Paper Cutter/Scorer, Paper Snips, Bone Folder, Sponge, Big Shot w/Standard Cutting Plates, Multi-Purpose Platform, Premium Crease Pad, Labels Collection Framelits; Other:  Medium Whisper White Envelope; Non-Stampin' Up!:  Post-It Note

Bright Butterfly (Smooches for Mom Part 2)

Hello!

This blog post features the second of three cards inside the Smooches for Mom card box featured in this post.

The fun and bright colors in the patterns of the Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper just make me smile.  My favorite pattern is the one peeking out of the Blossom punch on this card.

(click on card to see larger image)

This card begins with a piece of Whisper White cardstock run through the Big Shot inside the Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions embossing folder.  The upper right edge of the embossed cardstock was inserted into the Blossom punch and punched so that the tips of one or two of the petals is beyond the edge of the cardstock.  A piece of Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper was adhered behind the punched area with the edges of the Designer Series Paper aligned with the edge of the embossed cardstock.  The embossed cardstock was then adhered to the Old Olive card base.  A Real Red Brights Button was adhered to the center of the Designer Series Paper inside the punched flower with Mini Glue Dots.  A piece of Old Olive 1/8" Taffeta ribbon was knotted and adhered to the center of the button with a Mini Glue Dot.

(click on photos to see larger images)

The daisy-looking flower image from the Mixed Bunch stamp set was stamped on a piece of Whisper White cardstock using Real Red ink.  The image was punched from the cardstock with the Blossom punch.  Then two opposing petal groups were removed with Paper Snips to create the butterfly wings.  The wings were rolled a bit at the ends using the Bone Folder.  The butterfly body from the Butterfly Prints stamp set was stamped near the lower left corner of the Whisper White embossed panel using Real Red ink.  The butterfly wings were adhered over the butterfly body using a Mini Glue Dot and a 4 mm Basic Rhinestone was added to the center of the butterfly wings.  The "you're a gem" sentiment from the "You're a Gem" stamp set was stamped on a piece of Whisper White cardstock using Island Indigo ink.  The sentiment was punched from the cardstock using the Small Oval punch and adhered below the butterfly wings with a Stampin' Dimensional.

(click on card to see larger image)

The inside sentiment area of the card was lined with a piece of Whisper White cardstock.  One edge of a piece of the Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper was punched with the Scallop Edge Border punch and adhered to the left side of the liner.

(click on envelope to see larger image)

The daisy-looking image was stamped twice along the left front edge of the Medium Whisper White Envelope using Real Red ink.

I've seen a bunch of cards with the Blossom punch used in an "off the edge" manner so I'm not quite sure who to give the credit to for the design idea.  The inspiration for the butterfly wings made from the Mixed Bunch stamp set and Blossom punch comes from the sample shown in the Occasions Mini Catalog; however, the addition of the Basic Rhinestones and "you're a gem" sentiment comes from a 3" x 3" card I made during a downline training meeting with my Stampin' Up! upline, Catherine Harwood.

As a reminder, the Mixed Bunch stamp set and coordinating Blossom punch are available only until April 30th from the Occasions Mini Catalog.  I'd like to say that these items will be carried over to the new catalog on June 1st; however, Stampin' Up! hasn't notified us yet of that information.  So, to avoid missing out, you'll need to order these items in the next few days.

The You're A Gem and Butterfly Prints stamp sets will be retiring at the end of the current Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog on May 31st.  I just love these two stamp sets and will definitely miss having them available to me on my work table.

Finally, the Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper is available only for the month of April as a Sneak Peek from the 2012-2013 Idea Book & Catalog.  After this month, you'll have to wait until June 1st before you can order it.  Just sayin'...

I'll be back tomorrow with the third card from the Smooches for Mom card box.  I look forward to visiting with you then.

Stamps:  Mixed Bunch, You're a Gem; Inks:  Island Indigo, Real Red; Cardstock:  Old Olive, Whisper White; Designer Series Paper:  Summer Smooches; Embellishments:  Brights Designer Buttons, Basic Rhinestones, Old Olive 1/8" Taffeta ribbon; Adhesives:  SNAIL, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots; Tools:  Paper Cutter/Scorer, Paper Snips, Bone Folder, Blossom punch, Scallop Edge Border punch, Big Shot w/Standard Cutting Plate, Multi-Purpose Platform, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions embossing folder; Other:  Medium Whisper White Envelope